Theses links should have the answers to any questions you may have on schools:
http://www.greatschools.org/
http://Www.schoolfinder.ca.gov
http://Www.education.com
http://Www.schooldistrictfinder.com
http://Www.schooldigger.com
http://www.sarconline.org/

If you figure out what cities/zip codes you are considering, minimum number of bedrooms and the maximum payment/price you are looking to achieve you can be emailed listings to fit your search criteria. Your email address is needed to set you up for the automatic daily updates.

You should study RENT vs BUY options as you may qualify to buy with minimum out of pocket expenses and pay less than rent in many cities. Your fico scores can be raised within 3-4 days in most cases to qualify for programs, rates and terms as necessary.

Beware of the many rental scams out there these days on all sites. The scams are on all of the rental listing sites except one that us agents/broker use such as mls, multiple listing service.

You should not give anyone any funds or personal information without confirming with a licensed agent/broker or management company to find out whom you should be dealing with and the status of any address of interest.

You will need to be pre-approved if you decide to buy and to be able to meet an agent to view and submit offers on any homes of your choice. Your qualifications will be determined by your credit profile, debt to income ratios, fico scores, loan program and how much you want to invest into the down payment and closing costs.

You may qualify FHA from fico scores between 500-579 with 10% down or minimum 580 fico score may qualify FHA 3.5% down or as low as .5% half percent down payment program up to 417k. You may consider 3% down conventional from a minimum 620 fico score or even 5% down conventional with NO Mortgage insurance (Lender paid MI) up to 417k.

It only takes a few dozen questions to qualify, go over your options and email you listings to study and compare. Here are some links to study as well as web reference links to many loan program pages offered...

I can tell you my experience in 90814 over the past 2 months. I have made offers on two houses - the appraisals came in at shockingly lower values. The first was 150K lower than asking price on a house under 500K and the other 60K lower on a 650 K house. Both sellers and agents are very slow to face the reality that the appraisers are seeing. With rising interest rates, the inevitability of middle class job losses due to the California budget crisis, and second wave of the housing sunami looming (which will effect middle to high end houses rather than low end like the previous subprime crisis), the objective observer is well supported to expect housing prices to continue to fall. I guess if I made my iving out of selling houses, I would try to spin it to argue that prices had bottomed out - or that houses near the coast would be immune to the economic pressures effecting housing prices everywhere else - but appraisers clearly do not agree.

If you want to get an objective evaluation of housing price trends - read what the ecomomists and financial analysits have to say - not real estate agents. Agents have too much vested interest to be objective.... more